Old-Fashioned Sauce for Meat

I’m currently reading through an 1887 cookbook (The Whitehouse Cookbook by F. L. Gillette and Hugo Ziemann) that I found on Project Gutenberg, and there are actually quite a few recipes I mean to check out in it. This one was called “Sharp Brown Sauce.” Thinking that it might be something like HP Sauce, I gave it a try. It’s actually nothing like steak sauce, nor is it brown, but it is delicious. A bit like Catalina salad dressing, but not as acidic. I’ve served it with fried steak, pork chops, and over baked potato, and would definitely make it again.

1/4 pound butter

1 tablespoon flour*

1 tablespoon chopped onion (I left this out)

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 ounces water

3 tablespoons ketchup

pepper and salt to taste

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. If you want the onions in, add them at this point and cook until soft. Stir in flour until blended, then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Let boil until it thickens. Serve warm. Can be reheated.

Makes just under two cups

*I like Robin Hood’s Blending Flour for this—no risk of lumps